Clothesline clamping device



May 10, 1949.

G. PlPlA ET AL- 2,469,783

CLOTHESLINE (:LAMPINQ DEVICE Filed May 12, 1947 v INVENTORS G11U5EPPE PIPIA Joan LEE ATTORNEY Patented May 1 0, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,469,783 CLOTHESLINE CLAMPI NG DEVICE Giuseppe Pipia and John Lee, New York, N. Y. Application May 12, 1947, Serial No. 747,538

The presentinvention relatesto clamping devices for clotheslines.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and efiicient clamping device which will permit a clothesline, rope or similar cordage to be drawn to a desired degree of tautness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping device of this character in which the line may be readily released in order to lessen the tension or to remove the line.

The invention contemplates that the inclusion in the device of a stop member adapted to engage a knot in the line, he so arranged that the lin will not fall to the ground upon releasing the clamping device. It is a feature of the invention that the stop member may be constructed integrally with the clamping device or it may form a part of a hook which holds the clamping device when the line is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clampin device which will hold the line securely but which will not cut or damage the line while it is so held.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description.

and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line '2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the closed end of the device illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a screw-hook, in which a part of the invention has been embodied in the hook.

The clamping device for clotheslines, according to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, includes a body member I I having a tubular line guiding portion ['2 and a U-shaped end portion l3. A gripping lever I4 is pivotally mounted in the body member II on a pin l5, the gripping end N5 of lever l4 being held in engagement with the line I! by the action of a coil spring [8 mounted on the pin l5. The end portion I3 is shaped for engagement with a hook (not shown),

2 Claims. (01. 24-134) or it may be secured to the end of another length of line (not shown).

' A pair on inwardly eiiten'ding ears 20 and 2| are provided at the end of the body member I l adjacent the U-shaped portion I3. Their ends are spaced to form a slot. 22 as shown in Fig. 3. They are further shown" as havin arcuate cut away portions shaped to form a circular aperture 23. Slot 22 is sufliciently wide' so that line I! may be readily passed therethroughand circular aperture 23 is of sufficient diameter so that line I! will pass freely therein but it is small enough to prevent passage of the knot 24 in the end of line H. Slot 22 may be made sufiici'ently wide to permit free passage of the line and the cut away portions may be omitted. Tubular guide portion [2, however, is large enough to pass knot 24.

In operation, line H is passed through tubular guide portion I2 of. body member ll. Gripping lever I4 is pressed to permit the free end of line I! together with knot 24' to pass into the U- shapedend portion I3, Line I! is then inserted through slot 22 so that it may pass freely through circular aperture 23 between cars 20 and 2|, but knot 24 will not pass therethrough. This may be seen in Fig. 2. By pulling on the free end of line [1, it may be drawn to any desired degree of tautness and gripping end N5 of lever M will permit the line to pass thereunder. The tension in line H, however, tends to brin gripping end l6 into contact with line I! with'increased pressure, in addition to the pressure provided by spring I8, so that when the desired tautness has been reached, it will be maintained.

When it is desired to release the tension in line I1, pressure is applied to lever [4 thereby disengaging gripping end Hi from contact with line H. Line I1 will then pass freely through the device until knot 24 engages ears 20 and 2|. The line may then be removed from the device by passing the line through slot 22, to free knot 24 from engagement with ears 20 and 2| The action of ears 20 and 2| serves to prevent the line I! from falling to the ground upon disengagement of gripping end N5 of lever I 4,

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which a pulley 25 is provided to reverse the direction of line IT. This is particularly advantageous where the device must be located in close proximity to a wall or pole which would render it awkward to pull the line in the same direction in which it is to be drawn taut.

Two tubular guide portions 52 and 53 are provided in body member 5| each being sufficiently large to pass knot 24. Lever 54 is pivoted at pin 55 and gripping end 56 is held in engagement with line H by the combined action of spring 58 and the tension in line H. Closed end 51 may be provided with ears as indicated at 20 and 2| of Fig. 2 or these ears may be omitted as shown in Fig. 4 and the device used with a hook 6| as shown in Fig. 6 having projecting cars 62 and 63 adapted to grip knot 24 and to permit line I! to pass freely through slot 64.

It will thus be seen that the invention pro,- vides a simple and compact gripping device together with knot gripping ears which will prevent the line from falling to the ground when the gripping lever is released. Moretmer, the

device is relatively inexpensive to manufacture by reason of the small number o'fparts required :fQI' its construction.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it isto be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed and ,the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdene in t e a pe ded cl ms.-

H ving t us es r be W1" in ti n h t we claim as new, and desire to secure .by United Sta s Le te s P ten is= V c o hes ine clampin de i for atlothesline avin a knot in th end h r o mprisin a ne-p e o membe hav n a, t bu ar n idin p r i n and a l -sh p d, en portion icontinuing from one end of; said tubular portion for engagement with a supporting hook, said tubular portion being of a diameter to permit the knotted end'of; the line to be passed therethrough from the end opposed to said U-shaped end-portion to dependnirom the other end thereof between the sides ofsaid u-shdped end portion, a gripping lever pivotally mounted on the. top of said tubular portion'and spring pressed in a direction, to. clamp the line passing through said tubular portion against the, inside face of the bottom wall of said tubular portion, and a pair of opposed ears desaid body member in the inoperative pivoted position of said gripping member.

2. A clothesline clamping device for a clothesline having a knot in the end thereof, comprising a one-piece body member having a tubular line guiding portion and a U-shaped end portion continuing from one end of said tubular portion for; engagement with a supporting hook, said tubular? portion being of a diameter to permit the knotted end of the line .to be passed therethrough from the end opposed to said U-shaped end portion to depend from the other end thereof between the sides of said U-shaped end portion, a gripping leverpivotally mounted on the top of said tubular portion and spring pressed in a direction to clamp the line passing through said tubular portion against the inside face of the bottom wall of said tubular portion, and a pair of opposed ears tiepending from the sides of said U-shaped end portion adjacent the end of said tubular portion, said ears having their free bottom .ends directed toward each other and formed with opposed arcuate cutouts forming a circular aperture of a diameter to permit the line to freely slide therethrough but of a diameter smallerthan the knot to restrain sliding movement of theline to prevent complete disengagement or-the line from said body member in the inoperative pivoted position of said gripping member, said ears having their ends spaced from each other forming slots extending from diametrically opposite sides of said circularv aperture through which said line may be forced to. free the knotted end of the line from said ears to be passedthroughsaid tubular portion and completely disengaged from said body member when desired,

GIUSEPPE PIPIA JOHN .LEE.

R RE S C TED The following references. are of; record; iii-the file of this patent:

IT TATES EATENTS 

